Faded
by The WolvGambit
Summary: AU Vampire/Mystical: Maybe 600 years is too long to be without love...GSR -An answer to a challenge at GSR Forever Love-
1. Chapter 1

Faded

Summary: AU Vampire/Mystical: Maybe 600 years is too long to be without love. GSR -An answer to a challenge on GSR Forever Love-

Rating: NC-17

XXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxx

Part 1

XXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxx

The streets were empty along the old country road, he had figured no one would find him here. People often asked too many questions and maybe it was time to seclude himself from the world once again. He was no fool. Six centuries worth of mankind's hasty actions and disagreements will make anyone feel alone in the world. Though, this man wasn't just any man, he was something else entirely.

Born in the late 1400's, Lord Gilbert Grissom was created from a backfired spell in his queens chambers. She had called on a Warlock medicine man to save his dying body but she had let the man create what she deemed to be a monster. An un-vanquishable opponent with a lust for blood and sex. Lady Elizabeth could not satisfy his unquenchable apatite and no matter how much she loved him he had no life in his body even though it was still animated. Lord of the land he was no longer and he starved himself of both commodities only to suffer pain in the process. Elizabeth ordered him buried.

He emerged from his tomb in 1610 and found himself amongst grave robbers. For their crime he drained them dry after asking what year it was. He fed off their fear like the sweetest red wine, filling his veins with their life. Despaired by his actions, he sought refuge in the shadows only to be housed by a man named Robbins in northern Ireland. Living with the doctor taught him restraint, gave him happiness. However, twenty years passed for his friend and mentor; the years unkind to him. Robbins passed in 1630 leaving him a substantial amount of money.

The rest of the years seemed to pass in a blur, happiness and sadness, friends and loves, but nothingness always consumed him. Living amongst humans had taught him how fragile humanity was, how no one would be around forever except he. As time passed he found that he was the last of his kind and only someone willing to accept all of him would break the curse that bound his soul to this world.

Gil watched clouds pass silently through the sky as he let his truck come to a graceful stop in front of a log cabin. Solitude at its finest, but so utterly empty. However, his life was about to change...forever.

XXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxx

Dust and rock kicked up underneath her tires as she continued along the gravel pathway. Catherine, a dear friend, had suggested getting away from work for a while and taking a vacation. She had reluctantly agreed, especially since her latest breakup with Hank. Sara Sidle loved her job, she loved teaching, but sometimes it was the quiet things in life that she enjoyed more. Growing up in a home with a drug addict father and a less than sober mother had taught her the limits on humanities happiness.

Pulling herself from the memories, she looked at the small cottage in front of her. The wooded area secluded her from everything around and her nearest neighbor just happened to be miles away. Stopping the car and getting out, she looked up into the clear sky and smiled as the sun beat down on her through the trees. Sara took in its warmth gratefully with a happy laugh before pulling the key ring from her pocket and opening the front door.

The cottage was sparsely furnished with a rocking chair facing the small window towards the back, a small kitchen connecting to the door. A small hallway led down toward a bathroom and bedroom. It had everything she needed and more. No students, no TV, no ex, no interruptions. Placing her purse and bag next to the small wooden table a few feet from the fire place, Sara sat in the rocking chair and looked at the lake behind the house.

The beautiful clear water was perfect for swimming and fishing. Overhead the sun and clouds refracted of the wavy water, their stunning reflections in almost perfect clarity. In all her life, she'd never seen something so beautiful. Sara was extremely thankful that she had brought her bathing suit. Jim Brass had spared no expense when it came to comfort. Catherine was right about her husband, he loved nature.

With a sigh, she kicked off her shoes and leaned back, enjoying the view. A couple of moments later sleep claimed her.

XXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxx

He was hoping to have the woods all to himself, away from distraction and temptation. Gil found himself frustrated that someone would occupy the cottage down the road from him. Easing himself through the dense trees and bushes that lined the forest floor, his gaze captured a wonderful chocolate-haired beauty easing herself out of the car in front of him. This wasn't normal behavior for him, not at all. He found himself rooted to the spot, taking in her lithe but toned form, seemingly paralyzed by her grace.

Having the hunger inside him in check for so long, he was caught completely off guard as a rush of his inner nature took hold of him. Gil could feel the change immediately, thankful for the shade of the trees around him. His body stiffened as a low growl came from the middle of his chest and reverberated through his throat. Inner instincts that he thought were long buried over the centuries took hold of him and he found that the cursed animal in him had never been too far. Especially now, when her luscious scent of female and water lily hit his nostrils and they flared to catch every last vapor.

Gil found himself immediately taken with her and tried to leave but could not. Ivory fangs slid into place and he sliced his tongue on their surface. Her heartbeat played a steady staccato on his ears, the musical sound causing another slow rumble to pass through his body. He was aware of her, more aware of her than he'd been any other woman that he'd tried to love and there had been very few.

Finally able to pull himself away, his strides quick and sure, he dove through the forest in a very brisk pace knocking anything and everything in his path out of the way. She made him feel and he wasn't used to feeling. Only Elizabeth had lit him to insatiable and he feared that this woman was going to do the same. In this solitary moment, Gil wished that the sun was not high overhead since his body was on fire and he needed relief only the cold water could give.

Sliding to his knees, he fought his body for control. A rippling groan tore through his throat as he willed himself to relax. Sinking into the forest floor with his knees to his chest, he raked his hands through his salt and pepper curls before taking several deep breaths. Why did this have to happen now? He had been content to spend the rest of his eternity amongst nature only to be impeded now by a wonderful woman who lit him on fire. Literally.

XXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sara heard it but she didn't want to believe it. She stepped out on the back porch and caught the sound of growling to her right, pained and low, before silence passed through the woods. At first, she figured it to be just an animal shuffling its way through the forest scavenging, until she heard a muffled groan come out of the same area moments later, further away.

That was definitely not an animal, it was human possibly in pain. Sighing, she started to make her way off the porch and into the low bushes that surrounded her property before easing her way through the taller trees and into the heart of the forest. There, before her, rested a man with silver white hair. His knees were clutched to his chest by his arms. He was encased by a green sweater and a pair of black trousers.

When his gaze lifted to meet hers, Sara was met by a pair of eyes she had never thought were possible. They were blue, pure pale blue, so pale they were almost white and they pulsed becoming silver. Those beautiful depths were rimmed with indigo so deep that she gasped at the sight of them. His pupils dilated, nostrils flared, and a punctuated growl passed his lips that slowly turned into a purr. Sara stood above him, awestruck, before leaning down and easing her hand into his. She knew she should be afraid of him, of his unnatural beauty, but she couldn't find herself to be.

"Are you alright?" Sara found her voice finally, swallowing to try and clear her dry throat.

"Please leave me." His voice was ragged and shallow, earthy and everything male and she found herself entranced by it. Leave him? Sara wouldn't let herself.

"Come with me."

"No." He gasped and moved away from her so fast she thought it had only been a dream. Her eyes caught his figure a few feet away; his body leaned up against a large tree, breath coming in short gasps. For the life of her she couldn't run away even when her mind screamed at her to.

"Why?"

He didn't answer, he just vanished into thin air, out of her line of sight as if he'd never been there at all. Closing her eyes, Sara shook her head before reopening them and looking at the place he'd just vacated. It couldn't have been possible.

XXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gasping unneeded breath, Gil sank into the mattress with a heavy groan. He'd been face to face with a beautiful goddess and he could not bear it. The thought alone made him wish this horrible fate was not cast upon him. For the first time in his life he wished for normalcy, wished for humanity. Dashing across the room, he picked up the wooden chair in the living room and slung it into the wall in rage. The fragile wood split into pieces against the hard surface, splintering away in a violent surge.

In this one singular moment, Gil realized the cost of Elizabeth's selfishness and her unwillingness to accept him. She had doomed him to a fate worse than death. An endless life with no possible outcome other than never being free from his body. Animated by an old soul, doomed to walk the earth and if he were to give into his nature, create more like himself. Clinging to his humanity was the only fragile thread he held to keep his animal locked in a cage. Hunting animals for his blood source and avoiding humans at all costs eased his suffering, but the monster lurked.

However, he wanted to see the mysterious beauty once again. Gil wanted to tempt fate and breathe in that heavenly aroma that was a mixture of her skin, soap, and blood. The life that lingered just below the surface. Vitality and strength, joy and love, peace and tranquility. Though, it would be empty, forfeit, a deep and utter loss. The woman would leave to go back to her life and start anew with whatever she had come here to get away from and he would be left with nothing except the memories of her beautiful voice, smell, and body. A price he was willing to pay. Willing but a difficult cross to bear.

Her eyes were almost the same color as her hair and he wished to drown in them. Drown in her smile and light. A lovely grin that made the small space between her front teeth visible, a grin that lit her face with its wonder. That lovely expression directed at him instead of fear or confusion. Even after she'd seen his eyes. Gil could question human behavior, but he couldn't figure out why she looked upon him unafraid.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxx

The lake was a wonderful temperature as she sank into its depths. Sara felt a calm she hadn't felt since she'd run into that strange man hours before. He had heated her skin and set fire to her blood with one single glance from those unnatural eyes. Lowering herself the rest of the way, her mind wandered to his pale skin and cool temperature. A flash of memory came to her in an instant when she had clutched his hand and felt the chill just before fever took hold.

One question still lingered in her mind: who was this mysterious man? Floating on her back, face towards the sky, she let her mind wander with the endless possibilities of the man she just met hours before and how she felt a connection to him like no other. That gaze he had locked her in place with, Sara had never seen eyes so pure in color.

Sighing with languid strokes through the water, Sara stood in the waist deep pool and gently ran her fingers through her soaked hair. Her peace was short lived, however, when rustling in the bushes beside her caused her to be on alert. At the ready, she turned to face whatever lie behind coming into contact with those eyes once again.

Silvershot rimed with the deepest blue, Sara swore he looked at her like a staving man. Her mind told her to run, but her body betrayed her. He was bare apart from a pair of swim trunks and it made her mouth go dry. His mouth moved but she barely caught the words.

"I apologize for my behavior earlier." Sara finally made herself focus. "I haven't been well."

"It's okay." She found her voice as she watched him wade into the lake, the water coming up under his lower belly. The sun setting behind the trees cast him in a low colored glow, the orange-red haze of the sun made his skin shimmer as he dipped down into the water then raised himself up again. Beads of liquid trailed down and she found herself heated with lust as he moved his fingers through those silver-white curls.

"Lovely temperature for this time of year." His voice was like honey vibrating against her bones and melting her insides. "What is your name?"

"Sara Sidle."

"Heavenly." He whispered, inhaling a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. His approach was swift, barely causing the water to ripple, as he clasped her hand in his own before kissing the back of it. "I am Gil Grissom."

Sara watched Gil with a confused expression marring her features. He acted like he was in another place and time, polite and chivalrous, as he eased back into the water and let her have her privacy.

"What were you doing earlier?"

"Waiting for permission." He responded, his gaze fully turned on her. "I did not wish to impose on you."

"No imposition, I don't mind sharing." She shivered softly as the temperature around them started to drop. "I should be heading inside though."

"Of course."

XXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxx

Gil watched her walk away with a lump in his throat. He wanted to spend time with her and since tomorrow was a perfect day to do it, he hoped to take her into town. With each step she took, the water trailed down her tanned skin and he found himself trying to keep from gasping for unneeded breath. Water sparkled like diamonds against that very flesh and he found himself hard and aching.

After she had grabbed her towel, he found his voice, thankful for the skin that it covered. "Would you like to accompany me into town tomorrow?"

Sara turned to him with a smile, her form encased by the colored light provided by the setting sun. "I'd like that, a lot."

"What time shall I pick you up?"

"Around ten."

"Not a second later." He promised watching her walk towards the small cottage and out of sight.

Gil sighed and tried to clear his head, but it proved impossible. She filled his senses like no other woman ever had before. Six hundred years had diluted him, made him weary, caused him to forget about love and even the possibility of it. He existed on lost hope and broken promises brought on by shattered friendships and loss of life. Gil often found himself in the thicket of wars once passed. Good people dying in front of him, families never seeing their husbands or sons ever again. Being shot was no picnic, but he wished the pain had come with some sort of release.

Rubbing a hand over his face, he eased out of the steadily cooling water and picked up his towel from one of the hanging branches. He wanted to be human again, wanted to grow old, feel the sun on his skin, enjoy the heat of someone elses' touch. Would she be the one to make his heart beat again, ease his mystical burden?

XXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxx

Her dreams were awash in the colorful glow of blues and silvers. Snow blanketing the ground encased by the moon. Thoughts of another lifetime passed before. She saw herself as a little girl playing in the snow with her father, his eyes twinkling with mirth. However, the mood shifted instantly to heated discussions, anger, and death in the blink of an eye. Raw hatred colored the eyes before her heated red as blood.

"_You are the cause of this, you."_

"_We have to support you."_

"_We were so much happier before you were born." _

In a single solitary moment her childhood image was replaced by her adult image looking upon the carnage that once was her home. Broken glass lined the floor with blood and booze. Her mother dead in a pool of her own vomit. Cocaine and heroin surrounded her father, a needle still jabbed into his arm.

XX

Sara's eyes shot open as she gasped for breath, clutching the sheets to her chest. This recurring dream was getting old and she wished it'd leave her alone. Wiping a hand over her brow, she eased out of bed and into the bathroom. Running cold water in the sink, she eased a rag into the flow to ease it around her face and neck.

Life had been so unkind to her, even in her relationships. Her last one had been extremely discontenting and she was glad to be rid of the man. Hank was more than just an alcoholic, he was an abusive man and a drug dealer right underneath her nose. Through all of the arguments, fights, and bloodshed; the relationship dissolved in a call to 911 which ended with him arrested and her life free of torment.

Now, two weeks later, she found herself immediately entranced by a man she had only met 5 hours previous. After all the pain and suffering Sara had went through, she wondered why she found herself attracted to this man. Gil Grissom, a man with an unusual flare and old language. Sighing, she trailed her way towards the kitchen for a snack to settle her stomach.

Her body heated at the memory of her earlier dream before the nightmare had begun. Why couldn't her dreams just have been about him instead of flipping to those horrible images? Sitting in a chair, she groaned internally and tried to derail her thoughts. Putting her head in her hands, Sara closed her eyes and took deep breaths. Could this night get any worse?

XXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxx

The air was cool and crisp, perfect for hunting. Their was a buck twenty feet down wind and he primed himself at the ready. Gil focused his gaze on the animal, watching as it took a slow drink from the lake. He crouched down, breathing in before exhaling slowly. Seconds, it would only take seconds, and that's all it took. Within the blink of an eye the buck was on the ground and he was poised over the neck. With a hiss he pierced the flesh with his fangs and with a gasped moan he felt relief as the blood dispersed through the lining of his mouth to every part of his body.

Dropping the dead animal to the ground and licking his lips, Gil caught sight of the cottage and almost skidded backwards into a tree. He'd come this far out on a hunt? Soon his mind was filled with thoughts about what she would think of him if she knew. _My God what is wrong with me? Has my need for caution completely left me?_

After he turned away he felt the hunger come back. The endless need aching in his body and he needed to appease it; his feet taking him in the direction of another large deer. Thank God no one hunted at night and Gil hoped to all that was holy that Sara slept peacefully.

The second buck was no trouble at all, it's supply drained in less than two minutes. Again he dropped the carcass to the ground and it landed with a gentle thud. This time the cottage was no where in sight and he found himself grateful as the blood traveled through his system. At this point in time, where the fresh blood adhered to every molecule in his body, Gil felt alive. Albeit, the feeling was short lived and replaced by a new need which he tapped down instantly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxx

Sun filtered through the heavy curtains and into her eyes just before being covered by clouds. The white hue visible through the small space between the curtains. Groaning, Sara turned over and made her way into the bathroom to take a shower. In actuality, she felt strange as she entered the heated spray, the rest of her night was encased in a dreamless sleep with hazy results. As if someone had calmed her during the night.

Shutting off the water and grabbing her towel; her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Looking at the clock, Sara's eyes bugged out of her head at the time. Fifteen minutes after ten and she cursed before grabbing her cotton robe off the door and throwing it on before heading towards the door.

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" Gil asked as she opened the door. Sara clasped the rope tighter around herself self consciously.

"No, I just stepped out of the shower and didn't expect you so early."

"Shall I wait for you?" He raised a curious eyebrow.

"Please." She pointed to the living room. "Make yourself at home."

XXXXXXXXXxxxxxxx

He'd never seen the inside of the cottage, but he'd always known it'd been there. Gil sighed as he took a seat in the rocker facing the window. The view was wonderful, but he found himself completely taken by the earlier vision of Sara in a white cotton robe. Gently rocking back and forth, he sensed Sara's approach with a heavy heart. She was hungry and also weary.

"Are you alright?" The worlds slipped from his mouth before he could stop them.

"Yeah, I just didn't sleep very well." She shrugged before slipping into a pair of sandals. "Could we have breakfast?"

"Of course, I have already eaten but I will be happy to provide you with a meal." He smiled as he opened the door. "You may want to grab a coat the weather is going to get chilly later."

"Sure." Gil watched as Sara grabbed a coat from the closet before walking out the door. A fine sheen of pheromones clung to the inside of his nostrils and he held back a growl. Whatever happened during the night had her needing release which he would be happy to provide her with.

Gulping down a heavy bit of saliva, he closed the door behind them and watched as she locked it. Together they descended the stairs towards his truck as he clicked the remote to unlock it. He eased her into the passenger seat before taking his place and started their drive down the road onto the highway.

"It's going to rain." He felt her mood drop considerably, his fogged mind released from the early pleasurable feelings. Gil gripped her hand in his, unaware of his actions, and kissed the knuckles.

"Forgive my forwardness, but this weather makes plants blossom, flowers bloom, trees grow. There is no reason to be depressed my dear."

XXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxx

Sara turned her head towards him and cocked an eyebrow. How did he know she was feeling depressed because of the rain? Something wasn't right. "How...?"

"Your voice dropped in tone suggesting a change in mood. I'm very adept in reading emotions."

She shook her head. "I see."

"Why does rain make you so?"

"It's a long story and I barely know you." Sara turned towards the window as the first droplets hit the window pane.

"Sometimes speaking to a stranger about the past helps." She felt his fingertips caress her knuckles. "Speak to me."

"Gil..." Her eyes connected with his again, that same silver-blue meeting and holding her. Sara lost her words instantly and found herself wanting to tell him everything in her sad past. But it was not meant to be as she broke the hold by turning away and finding her voice. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Fair enough." They pulled into the diner on the corner. "Please, allow me to apologize for my rudeness."

As they eased into a booth, Sara looked at the menu and ordered a veggie omelet while Gil ordered a plain cup of coffee. "So what do you do for a living, Gil?"

"I'm an investor and a writer." He answered easily while pouring cream in his coffee. "I write research books on history dating back to the fourteen hundreds. I work the stock market on my free time."

"Sounds fascinating." She smiled, stirring her tea. "I'm a physics professor."

"Wonderful."

"Do you write anything else?"

"Occasionally I like to write fictional works on Vampire life. I am the author of _Quiet Lies_." He tapped his spoon on the side of his cup before taking a sip.

Just as Sara was about to comment the waitress set her food in front of her and walked away. "You wrote _Quiet Lies_? That book was so wonderful."

"You're familiar with my work?" Gil raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Yes!" She smiled. "But the author listed is Lucien Grady."

"I created the name to keep myself separated from my historical works." Sara looked at him as he watched her eat. She found it sort of strange.

"Are you sure you're not eating?"

"I'm fine, enjoy yourself. Order more if you feel the need." He waved to her empty plate. "You are still hungry, was it not fulfilling?"

"Gil..."

"No, Sara it's on me. What would you like?"

She sighed. "The banana nut bread."

He waved down the waitress and placed the order while she watched him. He seemed uninterested in the slim red-head, completely focused on Sara and again she found this strange.

XXXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxx

The rest of the day was completely wonderful. They talked about his books, history, and her physics classes and students. Gil found that he really loved her laugh, full and throaty, completely awe inspiring. Sara was a wonderful woman full of surprises, smiles, and a happiness that was completely contagious.

When he dropped her off, he could tell she was uneasy and it made him the same way. She practically knew him inside and out from reading _Quiet Lies_. It was his complete story from beginning to end. Gil pressed his palm to the door after she closed it, thankful that there was no kiss involved no matter how much his body denied his refusal. He knew if he kissed her in that moment, he'd never want to stop. Especially if she tasted as divine as she smelled.

Stepping off the porch, Gil prepared himself for his nightly hunt knowing that his hunger would be hard to quench.


	2. Chapter 2

XXXXXXXXXXxxxxxx

Part 2

XXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxx

The next few days seemed peaceful with the occasional visit from Gil. He seemed to know everything she was feeling and it unnerved her. Sara found him to be quite strange at times but for the life of her, she couldn't find him dangerous or scary. For all his quirks, he seemed very sweet. Cooking her dinner, easing her worries, taking her shopping. But reading her moods completely threw her for a loop.

Groaning into her pillow, Sara eased herself up and into the kitchen to make coffee. Gil had been mysteriously absent for the past two days and she wondered where he went. He didn't say how long he was planning to vacation and something told her he wouldn't leave without telling her, possibly even exchanging phone numbers.

Sighing, she pulled a cup from the overhead cabinet. Just as she was easing it onto the counter, their was a knock at the door and she dropped the cup. The sound of glass crashing brought her to full alertness as a breeze flew by her and the pieces of the cup were missing.

"I'm sorry for startling you." He put the pieces in the trashcan. "Are you alright?"

Now she knew something was terribly wrong with this picture as she backed away from him. His unnatural eyes capturing her gaze. No human moves that fast.

"What are you?" She backed into the table, almost falling to the floor, only to be caught by him.

"You have no reason to fear me, Sara. I mean you no harm."

"Let go." Sara gritted out and he immediately fulfilled her request by releasing his gentle hold. "What are you?"

"You know what I am, Sara." Gil's eyes were downcast. "You read my book."

"Gil, stop this."

"Stop what?" His gaze focused on hers, eyes completely glowing. "Telling you the truth Sara? I've wanted you to know me since I first laid eyes on you."

"Get out."

He trailed his fingertips down her face. "I am not the monster that has been depicted in novels and movies across the world. Hollywood has created an image of what I am that is not entirely true. I am the only one of my kind, Sara. Everyone who has ever encountered the true me has run in fear, those I've loved and cared for in the deepest sense."

"Please..." Sara turned from him, unwilling to believe but wanting to.

"Just listen to me and if you still feel the same way I'll go."

XXXXXXXXxxxxxxx

Gil was completely grateful when she nodded her acceptance to listen. Sara eased back into a chair as he sat in front of her, clearing his mind to begin his tale.

"I was created when my wife almost lost me to my battlefield wounds. Queen Elizabeth Salintone of Ireland married me on the fifth day of July in fourteen twenty-nine. Six years later there had been a war between us and some British forces. I had gone out to battle with my men and even though we had lost a considerable amount of lives, we won. We had claimed our independence but a fever had taken hold of me from the wounds I had received. Infection set in and Elizabeth feared my death.

"The doctor said nothing more could be done but she would not give me up. She called upon a powerful Warlock healer named Phestophan who granted me life eternal. I have fought my curse for these past six centuries and I grow weary, Sara. When I awakened from my slumber I wanted two things from my bride, blood and sex. When she could not keep up with my hunger, she turned me away.

"I felt ashamed of myself and asked the healer to undo what had been done. It was not possible, Phestophan explained that my bride must be accepting of my inner nature, my hunger for life and rebirth or else I will be housed in this shell never to be human again."

"Are you alive?" He heard Sara ask.

"I exist." Gil explained. "My heart does not beat, I do not need to breathe, and I cannot die. Over six centuries I have tired to end this existence but nothing works. I've been shot, stabbed, stoned to death, decapitated, hung, burned, and buried alive. Yet I exist for my soul is bound to my body keeping it animated."

"What do you eat?"

"I eat the blood of animals, it keeps me from hunting humans and limits my actual nature."

Her fingertips trailed down his cheek, taking in the smooth texture of his skin. "I've never seen you in sunlight."

"You cannot, while not fatal sunlight will dissolve me into ashes." He sighed. "For that is my true form, ashes to ashes."

"So what am I in all of this?"

"The woman I could see myself loving in the near future."

"Gil, I don't know..." He placed his fingertips across her lips, halting her words.

"I will give you distance to think about this." Gil promised. "You come to me when you are ready."

Easing up out of the chair, glad her fear had passed, he made his way out into the forest towards his cabin.

XXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxx

For the next several days Sara fought with herself as she pulled out _Quiet Lies_ and began to read again of the story of a man who fought the ages to find love and end his suffering. This was Gil's story, his life, his existence. Love and loss, happiness and despair. The thick hardback landed on the coffee table with a thud. Never in her wildest dreams did Sara think she'd meet an extraordinary being, a Mystical Vampire with hungers twice that of any animal with a gentle heart and kind soul.

Sara found herself shedding a few tears for the sad tale, more tears than she had lost the first time she read through the book. Poems and letters, broken promises and lies; the lack of acceptance. Throughout all of this, and everything she'd witnessed from the man only a few miles away from her, Sara believed in every word written on paper. Accept all of him and make him whole again or deny him and let him live another six centuries. Her heart knew the answer as she grabbed her coat and headed out the door into the rain.

Her car worked against the muddied road ahead as his log cabin came into view, the rain was heavier now as she walked up to his door completely soaked. Knocking on the wooden surface, she was startled when it opened after the second knock and he caught her before she fell down the stairs.

"I had almost given up hope. I thought you would find me mad and never come." Gil spoke with a lump in his throat as he eased her inside.

"I would be lying if I said I hadn't thought about leaving, but your words moved me and I can understand not being wanted in life."

XXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxx

He was elated that she had come to him just when he had given up hope and felt that she was like the others; unable to deal with what he was. Gil was momentarily shocked when she leaned in and kissed him, her lips moist and soft, and their taste indescribable. He found himself reeling as Sara clasped her hands behind his neck and led him down to the couch behind them.

Her emotions were scattered, her pheromones high, and he knew she was extremely eager for release. His torture-ridden body come to life in that instant, hunger consuming him, and Gil fought for control until her lips released his and she made his gaze meet hers.

"Give in." And that was all the permission he needed.

The next few minutes seemed like a blur as they wound up in his bedroom upon his bed. Sara was amazingly accepting of his inner nature, his wild caresses and nipping kisses. All at once Gil wanted to taste her and he was thankful they were naked as he kissed down her body towards the juncture between thighs.

Highly aroused, moist, and swollen, she smelled so sweet to him as he lowered himself between her thighs. She whimpered as he tasted her, his tongue flat and broad licked across the seam of her sex, taking in her essence. Gil was awash in her needs, understanding what she wanted, what would drive her wild with pleasure. Sara was becoming a drug to him as he eased his tongue around her folds, taking her in, drinking her down. A normal man wouldn't appreciate the complete natural taste of hot candied pheromones, the sweetest sugar high on earth. Her sugary, syrupy, honeyed taste hardened his body into a stony mass.

Growling and nipping at her clit, he heard as she let out a long keening wail of his name before she came apart beneath him; her fingernails digging into his scalp.

XXXXXXXXXXXxxxxx

Sara had never known pleasure like this, never felt a release so wonderful her body felt completely sated. Whatever the other men she'd been with were doing, they must've not been doing it right. Gil's tongue taunted and teased her, his growls vibrated throughout her body; sinking into her skin, filling up her senses. He verbalized her taste and her smell, nipped at that sensitive bud and suckled it until she came apart.

As he eased up from between her legs, his eyes were the color of the sea after a storm lined with gray and pulsating to a beat that would've been his heart. Sara watched as he licked his lips of her essence, purring with pleasure, as he crawled up her body.

"I want to fulfill your every desire, be the man you need." He whispered in her ear as he licked the lobe and nipped it between his teeth.

His erection was heavy and hard, thick and insistent, trapped between their bodies. She felt every single solid inch of him and swore she became wetter with the thought of him inside her. Sara never thought she could want a man so much just by his understanding of her body.

"I want you in me."

Gil eased forward with those words and kissed her deeply whilst aligning their hips. His thick length sliding through her folds, smooth and hot, and she felt him gasp for breath as the wet sounds filled the air. She felt him leak on her belly, the hot ejaculate punctuated with fever and smooth as liquid silk. Sara eased her hand between them, circling the head of his cock with her thumb, spreading the heated liquid and listening to his resounding growl fill the room.

He answered her completely, pumping through her folds and into her waiting grip, growling and purring with pleasure as he eased his face between her neck and shoulder, taking in her fragrance, her essence. His tongue teased her neck and she felt a sharpness scrape along the column of her throat before a small piercing pain, then nothing but pure indescribable pleasure. White heat spread through her limbs and rocked her core where he instantly buried himself. Hard as steel and hot as boiling iron he impaled her as deep as he could go, snarling against her throat.

Sara couldn't believe what was happening to her as she endured orgasm after orgasm while he sought his own. After the fifth wave of pleasure passed through her frame she lost count as Gil continued to rock within her, his methodical thrusting easing her into another climax as he released her neck and licked it clean.

XXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxx

Gil had never met another who was more responsive than the goddess underneath him. Sara Sidle was the epitome of perfection framed in tanned skin, mahogany hair, and honeyed irises which spoke of a hunger only he could fulfill. He kept his pace as she came over and over, unwilling to give up her heated depths, the silken moist, fevered sheath that clutched at him in steady intervals before releasing.

Her blood tasted better than he could've ever imagined and he fused his emotions with hers, infused her with his pleasure and hoped that she would accept every last thought and feeling. Again and again he dove into her, a steady growl escaping his lips as he felt her come once more around him, her hot walls clutching him before he completely let go himself for the first time filling her up and feeling their combined fluids seep out onto the sheet covered mattress below. Their combined scent filled his nostrils and he felt himself come again just with the heat in the air. Gil clutched her closer to him, closing her legs around his hips as he surged against her; boring deep and gasping with the effort as he came a third time before collapsing against her.

He gasped for breaths unneeded, gasped to try and clear his mind as he lay atop her sweat-soaked body. Finally, after fighting it for so long, his body succumbed to a coma of sorts from utter exhaustion. He just hoped that Sara would still be there in the morning.

XXXXXXXXXxxxxx

She felt as he collapsed against her and passed out. Sara was exhausted herself but she looked down at the man before her cast in moon glow. His ivory complexion perfectly displayed amongst the white sheets as she rested beneath him and trailed her hands through his silver-white hair. The sheets were a tangled mass below, wrapped around his ankles, but he was keeping her warm just fine. Sighing, she decided to sleep and give in to her need.

XXXXXxxxxxxxx

Gil awoke with a start feeling something he hadn't felt for many, many, years. A heartbeat, a warmth he couldn't fathom washed over him as he looked to the woman who lay beneath him. Could it be that it was his own and not just an echo of hers? He eased of Sara and pressed a hand to his chest feeling the insistent _thump-thump_ beneath his palm. It was true and he couldn't believe it, did this mean that he could live out his days with her?

Sunlight fell into the room directly on top of them both and he was not a pile of ashes. Heavenly miracle of miracles, he sung praises in his head to the heavenly father above for sending him an angel to help him regain his humanity.

"Sara..." He whispered with a deep sigh as he kissed the candied lips he'd had the pleasure of tasting only hours before. Gil relished in the feeling of taking the time to wake her properly, nipping and kissing her sun-kissed skin, suckling at her breasts until the pink tips stood at attention before traveling down to the soft patch of curls between her thighs and tasting her, yet again, undiluted. For reasons unknown, he still obtained the ability to taste her purity and he questioned it for only a moment before her eyes opened and viewed him through heavy lashes. Gil knew that he'd never get tired of seeing that sight for the rest of his life.

XXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxx

Sara was caught between sleep and wakefulness, hovering at the precipice but not quite flying over the edge. Gil was pleasuring her in the most delicious ways and she did not want to move, not even for a moment, but her body nagged her to wake and when she did her eyes connected with the beautiful blue pools of her lover working in a fevered pitch between her legs. Sighing softly, she pulled him away and up towards her, easing him into her depths with the guidance of her hands.

Gil worked in an unhurried rhythm, slick and sure until they were both writhing and tired. Smiling she, once again, stroked her fingers through his hair.

"Where do we go from here, Gil?"

"Where ever life decides to take us from here. I'd just love to be with you for as long as you'll have me." She felt him sigh against her neck. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

XXXXXXXXxxxxxxxx

A few years later and they're standing at the alter saying their vows only to be followed by the welcoming of their first child. Gil feels elated to the promise of a future.

Years pass as they find themselves in the woods once again vacationing. This time they are with their grandchildren, taking them fishing, hiking, and swimming. Their love has survived and Gil has finally been granted the will to grow old, be mortal, feel cherished. His wife sits by his side, eager to learn, listen, and be encased in warmth. Two hearts always beating as one...

-End


End file.
